Gas lines subside, but demand remains

Eve Sullivan

Updated 8:51 pm, Saturday, November 10, 2012

Andy Nekta fills a container with gas at a Sunoco station in Greenwich on Saturday, November 10, 2012. Nekta came from the Bronx to fill up in Connecticut because he has a delivery business and has to fill up every day. He said the extra gas in the container is for friends in New York.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg

Long Island resident Ben Bongiovi fills his car with gas at the Gulf station on East Main Street off exit 9 on I-95 as the station dealer Ahmad Als puts up signs warning of fines if customers use illegal canisters for gas on Saturday, November 10, 2012.
Photo: Lindsay Niegelberg

STAMFORD -- On Saturday afternoon, at the Gulf Express on East Main Street, Ahmad Als and an employee were taping a sign to the pump that says, "Do not pump gas in illegal containers." It said it's against the law and punishable by a $500 fine, six months in jail, or both.

"Some people come and they said `we didn't know,' " the dealer said. "Well now they know."

Als said they are keeping an eye on customers from the window and with cameras. But that's difficult because he's busy working behind the counter and answering the hundreds of phone calls from people as far as Long Island, N.Y., looking for gas.

"They're asking if we have gas, if we're open and the hours," he said.

The men said Gulf Express has remained busy during the gas crisis because people need gas and they are selling at a reasonable price -- $3.95 a gallon. The gas station is also located right off the highway.

Even though the gas station gets a daily delivery, Als said they've had to close every day -- anywhere from five to seven hours -- when they run out. Als said he was just closed on Saturday morning and tells people to call before they head to the station.

Ben Bongiovi, of Long Island, who was filling his tank there, said while the lines are getting better in New York, they are now doing the odd/even designation and Saturday (the 10th) was not his day. He has vanity plates, which automatically makes him odd. He said he's seen verbal fights break out over people cutting in lines.

"I work in Stamford so it just saves me the time," Bongiovi said. "I've spent a total of eight to 10 hours just waiting on lines that the gas station ran out of gas or never got a delivery in."

At the neighboring McDonald's, they have a sign of their own, saying, "Do not block entrance." Last week, there were lines all the way down East Main Street to get into the Gulf Express and customers were having trouble getting into the restaurant.

At the Global station, on the corner of East Main and Clarks Hill Avenue, a customer named Louis was filling up four giant Poland Spring water containers. While the man knew it was illegal, he said he couldn't find regular gas containers anywhere.

"This is for my family," Louis said. "They don't have electricity right now. I have to do something for the generator."

The Bridgeport resident said he has relatives Queens, N.Y., which was hit hard by Hurricane Sandy. After placing the loose tops on the bottles, he closed the trunk and said he was going to buy tape to secure them.

"This is the first time I'm doing this," he said. "They really need it."

At the Sunoco at 510 E. Putnam Ave. in Greenwich, Assistant Manager Babu Chowdhuny, said they are somewhat busy, but things are starting to die down.

"We had a crazy line, but not anymore," he said. "People are still coming, but I think it's almost over."

Hector Ramos, of Brooklyn, N.Y., who was filling up his tank at Sunoco and several containers, said getting gas in New York requires waiting in line for six hours.

"Not to mention the hostility that's out there," said his friend, Terrance Drakes.

In New York, Ramos said unless you work for the city, you're going to wait in line all day. And there are limits on how much can be purchased.

"You feel like you live in post-Apocalyptic America," Drakes said. "The system is not working. You no longer feel secure."

Levelle Jackson, of Brooklyn, who was at Sunoco, said he needs gas to drive to work and pick up his children at school. "I've never seen it like this before," he said. "This is crazy. I hope it ends soon."

The Shell gas station at 401 W. Putnam Ave. in Greenwich wasn't selling gas Saturday, after running out on Friday, according to employee Amy Zicarelli. They were waiting for a shipment.

"Hopefully this afternoon we'll have more," she said. "We've run out a couple of times since the craziness has been going on."

Last Saturday, Zicarelli said the Shell station was packed from the moment she walked in the door until the moment she walked out. She said they had "huge lines.

"Last week this time it was a zoo," she said.

But people were keeping order and state and local police were there, Zicarelli said. Still, she said they did get the occasional person trying to fill up a bucket of gas. "That's dangerous," she added.